This week’s new releases are kicked off by Rogue One, the first-ever self-contained Star Wars film. A big and bold blockbuster, the film illustrated how stories set in a galaxy far, far away not featuring the Skywalker family could still hold the audience’s interest. We’ll have much more on the movie later this week here on MovieFanFare, but for now let’s take a look at that and the other stellar new DVD and Blu-ray new releases that are now available!
Just before the events of “Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope,” young criminal Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) is freed from Imperial custody by the Rebel Alliance. Soon, Jyn and Rebel intelligence officer Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) find themselves on a dangerous mission to steal the plans for the Empire’s new weapon, a planet-destroying space station known as the Death Star. The first live-action stand-alone chapter in the “Star Wars” saga also stars Donnie Yen, Ben Mendelsohn, Mads Mikkelsen, and Forest Whitaker.
Informed by his iron-handed CEO sister Carol Vanstone (Jennifer Aniston) that his branch is about to be closed, manager Clay (T.J. Miller) is given one chance to save his job and those of his valued employees. The plan? Throw the most outrageous, over-the-top, booze-soaked, bad-decision-inducing holiday party the corporate world has ever seen in the hopes it will win over a would-be new client (Courtney B. Vance). Jason Bateman, Kate McKinnon, Olivia Munn also star in this wild Christmas comedy.
Everyone loves self-help guru Matthew Taylor’s (Shemar Moore) new bestselling book on romance, “The Bounce Back.” Everyone, that is, but psychologist Kristin Peralta (Nadine Velazquez). When she and Matthew spar on numerous TV talk shows about his quick-fix approach to mending broken hearts, though, their chemistry is obvious. The question is – can true love conquer philosophical differences? Bill Bellamy co-stars in this uproarious comedy.
Teenagers Sam (Gregg Sulkin) and Brady (Garrett Clayton) are part of a quartet of prank callers who’ve become minor celebrities thanks to the online videos showcasing their hilarious hijinks. But when Sam and Brady become the targets of “Mr. Lee” (Parker Sawyers)–a mysterious caller with an obvious bone to pick with them–these jerky boys find out the hard way what it’s like to be on the receiving end of terror. Sienna Guillory, Bella Dayne also star in this quirky shocker.
Every family has secrets but the Green family is different – it’s secrets run deep. When Max (Anton Yelchin) goes missing, his mother (Catherine Keener) and three sisters (Riley Keough, Kaitlyn Dever and Annie Starke) learn that a dark past haunts more than one of the Green siblings.